Back to the beginnings of time went Hammer Films, with vast monsters roaming the earth and stone age man fighting for his primitive existence.
A power struggle for leadership of the Rock Tribe results in the banishment of young Tumak (John Richardson).
After wandering through the wilderness (and battling a really big iguana and a really big tarantula), he comes upon the more civilised beach camp of the Shell Tribe (which would be better named the “Hot Blonde Women In Furry Bikinis Tribe”).
Enchanted by Shell maiden Loana (Raquel Welch), he begins to see the benefit of living less aggressively and becomes a hero by defending the Shell Tribe camp from an invading Allosaurus and an angry turtle the size of a bus.
Tumak’s uncivilised behaviour results in him being expelled from the Shell Tribe as well, but this time Loana decides to go with him
The film wraps up with a massive eruption. Rocks stab up out of the ground, rivers of lava gush out of a mountain, and cavemen topple from a landscape that’s breaking up like an ice floe. The final shots show the volcanic survivors staggering together in black & white.
A naive story with plenty of honest acting, plenty of thrills and special effects from Ray Harryhausen highlighting the tale of star-crossed lovers at the dawn of time.
It certainly didn’t hurt box office takings that the main star of the movie was curvy Raquel Welch running around in a skimpy animal-hide bikini!
Loana
Raquel Welch
Tumak
John Richardson
Sakana
Percy Herbert
Akhoba
Robert Brown
Nupondi
Martine Beswick
Sura
Lisa Thomas
Ahot
Jean Waldon
Tohana
Malya Nappi
Director
Don Chaffey